Hand bells will tell you when there is no longer any danger from poison gas." (2)Īdult gas masks were black whereas children had 'Micky Mouse' masks with red rubber pieces and bright eye piece rims. If you hear hand rattles do not leave your shelter until the poison gas has been cleared away. The government also issued a warning that people must go to their nearest air raid shelter during bombing attacks: "If poison gas has been used, you will be warned by means of hand rattles. Over the next few weeks 38 million gas masks were distributed to regional centres. On the outbreak of the Second World War the government decided to issue a gas mask to everyone living in Britain. In 1936, a disused mill in Blackburn became a gas mask assembly-plant where, by the Munich Crisis of 1938, more than 30 million gas masks had been manufactured. The result was the General Civilian Respirator. Therefore, the British government asked its scientists at the Porton Down laboratory to design a civilian respirator which could be mass-produced at a unit cost of two shillings. The government feared that the enemy would use aircraft to drop chemical bombs on civilians. This included firing shells at soldiers that contained chlorine, phosgene and mustard gas. During the First World War several countries, including Germany and Britain, had resorted to chemical warfare. In 1934 the British government decided that it was possible that over the next few years it would become involved in a war with Nazi Germany. The warning is relevant to all schools throughout the United Kingdom that have a gas mask in their possession.▼ References ▼ Spartacus Blog Gas Masks in the Second World War killed more people than they saved In 2008 the Health and Safety Executive, Northern Ireland issued an urgent warning to schools and school boards on the dangers the gas masks possess. However, this must only be carried out by a professional and qualified asbestos consultant. The advice given to staff was that the filters can be sealed or that the asbestos can be removed. In 2004 the Imperial War Museum issued guidance to their staff in relation to the WWII vintage gas masks and how they should never be worn, due to the asbestos components within their filters. With hindsight, could these lifesaving devices also be presenting a severe danger? During this time approximately one hundred and seven million civilian gas masks were produced for adults, children and babies. After 1942, and up until about 1965, approximately 3 million ‘Light Respirators (LR)’ were produced, some of them also containing crocidolite filters.Ĭivilian gas masks which were produced between 19, during the height of the Second World War, predominantly contained chrysotile, or white asbestos filters, although some were produced containing crocidolite. In Britain between 19 approximately 25 million military ‘General Service Respirators (GSR)’ were manufactured – and those produced after 1937 contained crocidolite, or blue asbestos filters. The information below was taken from the National Asbestos Helpline‘s website and shows just how prevalent asbestos was in the construction of gas masks during WWII. We strongly recommended that no one wears the mask on their face again not only because of any possible fibres left within the main filter, but also because some of the rubber membranes are starting to perish, now not functioning and may cause a skin reaction. This will allow the school to use the mask as a ‘museum piece’ only. The main filter was put back together safely with asbestos warning stickers attached,Īllium removed most, if not all, of the remaining asbestos from the main filter at the request of the client. It is our opinion that the chances of anyone breathing in the fibres is absolutely minimal due to the other non-suspect filters either side of the main filter. Chrysotile was the last of the asbestos types to be banned in 1999, The metal, main filter was opened-up and within the matrix of the ‘cotton wool’ type filter was embedded/interwoven Chrysotile fibres. Allium Environmental were recently asked to test a World War II gas mask for asbestos which was being displayed at a school in Cornwall.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |